[HALIFAX, NS] — Support for Nova Scotia’s NDP government remains strong, but it’s waning, according to a new poll.

Forty-six per cent of Nova Scotians would vote for the NDP if an election were held today, down seven percentage points from November and 14 points from August, according to the latest poll released by Halifax-based Corporate Research Associates. More »

[HALIFAX, NS] — CBC News is reporting that the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency is feeling the heat from the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies for continually postponing loan repayments from Halifax-based VR Interactive Corp. The inactive company has earned no revenue for about four years. For more information, read the story at: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2010/03/08/ns-acoa-vr-interactive.html

[SYDNEY, NS] — Two Cape Breton companies have received contracts totaling $7.7 million as the Sydney tar ponds and coke ovens cleanup project heads into its peak construction season.

McNally Construction Inc. of Port Hawkesbury was awarded a $3.8-million contract to remove contaminated material from the lower reaches of Coke Ovens Brook from the Victoria Road overpass to Inglis Street More »

[HALIFAX, NS] — Events Halifax has now been replaced with the bigger, and hopefully better, Events Nova Scotia.

Both the province and federal government via the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency kicked in $300,000 in the hopes the new agency can bring in more big-ticket events to the province. More »

[TRENTON, NS] — Pictou County realtors are ready to roll out the welcome mat for people looking for work in this region.

Sherry Blinkhorn, owner of Blinkhorn Real Estate Ltd., is ecstatic that hundreds of jobs will be created when South Korean manufacturing giant Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Ltd. (DSME) establish a wind turbine tower and blade manufacturing facility at the former Trenton Works site. More »

[EDMUNDSTON, NB] — CBC News is reporting that workers at Fraser Papers’ mill in Edmundston have voted in favour of a new contract that will slash their pensions, but hopefully help the company get back on its feet. For more information, read the story at: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2010/03/08/nb-fraser-papers-contract.html

[SUMMERSIDE, PE] — One of the country’s most influential lobby groups has given its stamp of approval to the recent federal budget. 
Summerside Mayor Basil Stewart, president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, said the organization is pleased with what was in the document.

There were two issues in the federal budget that the FCM wanted to see maintained — the gas tax rebate and the GST rebate to the provinces.
 More »

[ST. JOHN’S, NL] — A woman who was a familiar face in this province for promoting the interests of businesses is being charged with swindling money from her own employer.

Marilyn Pearl Tucker — former president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Employers’ Council (NLEC) — will be in provincial court in St. John’s today to face fraud charges, The Telegram has learned. 

Her case first came before court last week. She’s expected to enter a plea today.

 More »

[HALIFAX, NS] ExxonMobil and Sable workforce to be honoured by OTANS: After a decade as the cornerstone of the Nova Scotia energy sector, ExxonMobil and the Sable 
workforce have been selected to receive the 2010 Petroleum Pioneer Award by the Offshore/Onshore Technologies Association of Nova Scotia (OTANS). The 
award will be presented on April 22 at the Petroleum Pioneer Dinner at the 
Cunard Centre. The Petroleum Pioneer Award honours individuals or organizations that have made outstanding 
contributions to the development of the Nova Scotia petroleum industry. More »

[TRACADIE-SHEILA, NB] Food Processing Conference: Enterprise Peninsula, in partnership with the Association of Food Industry of the Atlantic Inc., presents the fourth annual Conference on Food Processing in the Acadian Peninsula. More than a dozen speakers will address issues concerning three core topics: production, the marketplace, and the current financial and regulatory environment. More »

[TRURO, NS] – A number of technical support specialist jobs are coming to Truro.

The Colchester Regional Development Agency and New Brunswick-based knowledge management company Innovatia are looking for technical support specialists as the firm gets ready to expand and create new jobs in the Truro area. More »

[HALIFAX, NS] – Debate on how best to handle HRM’s projected $30-million shortfall is set to resume tomorrow.

Halifax regional council was informed of the budget gap in a report from director of finance Cathie O’Toole, delivered two weeks ago. More »

[NEW GLASGOW, NS] – The Department of Labour and Workforce Development is asking Pictou County residents to give their input on pension reform.

The department released a discussion paper recently to gather more input from employers, employees, unions and industry about private-sector pension-plan management. More »

[FREDERICTON, NB] – The province’s property tax accountability mechanism will result in lower property tax rates for New Brunswickers. Finance Minister Greg Byrne says the lower rates have resulted in more than $12 million in savings for property owners this year.

Byrne says he is disappointed only five of 101 municipalities have adopted the rates under the new mechanism. However, he says he’s encouraged an additional 20 set their 2010 tax rates lower than their 2009 rates and 41 other municipalities kept their 2010 rates unchanged from 2009. More »

[CHARLOTTETOWN, PE] – Maritime Electric says it’s now looking for direction from the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission before taking any action on eliminating block pricing for high-use P.E.I. residential customers, including farms.

The utility had planned to enforce a two-year-old standing order from IRAC on block pricing to take effect April 1. The order would have dramatically increased power bills for farms by between $8,000 and $20,000 extra per year and has drawn intense criticism from farm groups and the Opposition. More »